An image forming apparatus having an operation panel on which various pieces of information are displayed is known. The operation panel of the image forming apparatus is configured to display setting items that can be set when copying and to receive a setting instruction from a user.
There are many setting items that can be set when executing copying, such as reduction/enlarge, density, two-sided/division, and page aggregation. The numerous settings allow various kinds of copying. On the other hand, this has lead to inconveniences in that it is necessary to check the details of the many setting items and to change them as needed.
A conceivable method for eliminating the inconveniences is providing the image forming apparatus with a user authentication function and storing user-specific setting information customized to the individual users in an internal storage unit of the image forming apparatus. With this method, when an authenticated user logs in, the user-specific setting information about the login user may be read from the internal storage unit, and the details of the large number of setting items may be changed based on the setting information specific to the login user. Thus, settings are automatically set to desired settings only by logging in, there is no need for the user to check or change settings.
Generally, the user performs a user authentication operation when logging in. For example, a system menu key is provided on the operation panel. When a user presses the system menu key, a list of items including user authentication is displayed. When the user subsequently selects user authentication from the plurality of items, a user authentication screen is displayed. Thereafter, the user logs in by inputting a user name and password on the user authentication screen.
Accordingly, the foregoing method requires that the user perform many operations (obtaining user authentication and logging in) to automatically switch settings to desired settings. This is inconvenient for the user.
Furthermore, the foregoing method requires that a plurality of items of specific setting information corresponding to the individual users be stored in the storage unit in the image forming apparatus. This results in an enormous amount of stored information, thus requiring an increase in the capacity of the internal storage unit (resulting in an increase in cost)